Cider is great and I got the red pumpkin pizza, very good! Live band was amazing! This is a local hole in the wall that is welcoming and great place to unwind.
ed s.
We stayed at the KOA attached to this brewery and spent one night there getting a bite. Off the wall place with great vibe and super food. I had the bison nachos with a flight of the beer. Nachos were of the hook good with fresh chips and great taste. My woman has hot dog bites and hard cider. Service was excellent. This place is a definite go to when passing through New Mexico. They even have cornhole out back but it was too cold to play. Keep up the good work. Oh yeh the beer flight was great, I only left the IPA because I am not a fan. The blond was the best for me.
Carmen R.
If you had a no star option. I would choose that. Third time and service continues to be horrible. Thought you'd be in the business of selling beer. Wait staff literally ignores you. We spent money for uber there to be disappointed again. Too bad because food is pretty decent. I'm so sad. I always try to support nm business. Ok servers...serve and you will be tipped well. I guess you don't need $.
Thomas F.
A real find. Great beers, knowledgeable brew master, excellent pizza, really friendly service. Stopped by on a Sunday afternoon for live blues music. Don't get turned off by the physical plant. The building looks like it's gonna fall over but just bite you're lip and go in. You'll be glad you did.
Jim G.
Went there with friends and family. Outside is quaint, rustic and may scare some folks off, but we are brave souls and forged ahead. We were all happy that we did. Interior was minimal and just as rustic, but our waitress was cute, warm and friendly, beer was great, we tried a variety of the menu. No one raved about their salad, pizza and sandwiches were "okay" !
Janice S.
I feel sure that Kaktus must have good food bc the place was pretty full. My roasted duck pizza was oddly sweet and not appealing. Had it not been so heavy on the hoisin I think it could have been great. My daughter was pretty repulsed by what was marketed as Frito Pie. Service was mediocre.
Robert F.
I did not try the food but the beer was good. What makes this place great is how unusual it is in comparison with other breweries. Kaktus has a unique setting that creates a friendly atmosphere. It definitely has an outdoorsy, country flavor that separates it from the urban breweries. I do group bike rides to Placitas otherwise I would have never passed this out of the way spot.
Aaron S.
Love this brewery. It has the neighborhood bar feel and has some excellent beer and food on the menu. A must visit in Bernalillo,NM.
Joey H.
Great beers, great place, one of the cooliest bars in the world. The pizza is good. Mike the brewer is the kooliest. Sometimes they offer free yoga in the back patio. Live music and belly dancers on Sunday.
Jenn D.
What a gem!! So glad we found it. Off the beaten path, but worth it. Super fun vibe, mostly organic menu. The pizza was delish, and the beer and cider was so good. The staff was amazing and accommodated our hungry soccer team with smiles. Thank you!
I stopped by here this past Sunday with my wife for lunch. When looking for a brewery to visit in the Albuquerque area I noticed the funny Kokapelli logo for Kaktus Brewery and decided that was where I wanted to visit. Whenever we arrived at the brewery the first thing that I noticed was that they had an overflow parking lot and that their normal parking lot was blocked off by caution tape. After talking to Dana, the owner, for a bit he let us know that it was their 5th anniversary and so they were having a big celebration. He was actually a very nice guy and upon learning that we were visiting Albuquerque for the first time told us to ask him anything. Since we knew we were going to be in Old Town later that night I asked him what to do there and he took the time to write down recommendations. How awesome is that? Anyways it looked like Kaktus Brewing has both indoor and outdoor seating including an area in the back with space heaters and turf. We decided to sit at the bar which gave us a good view of their kitchen and the cook making all of the food. As I often do whenever I visit a new brewery, I ordered a flight here. I was given the option of 4 beers or all 8 and choose all 8. At a cost of only $8.50 it was a great deal. The 8 beers that I got were a pumpkin, innkeeper Ale (nitro), bourbon, stout, Porter, IPA, Amber and blonde. My wife and I enjoyed all of the beers but my favorite, hands down, was the bourbon. It had that oaky smell and taste while also having a lime forward flavor. Food wise my wife and I ordered the Buffalo frito pie and Pua'a Hawaiian pizza. The menu described the Buffalo Frito Pie as Crunchy corn chips smothered with 8oz of our made from scratch Bison Chili spiced with oregano, chipotle, paprika, coriander, and so much more. It described the Pua'a Hawaiian Pizza as made with marinara/hoisin sauce, wild boar sausage, pineapple and green chile. Our pizza came out first and both looked and tasted terrific. The marinara hoisin sauce had a slight sweetness to it that both my wife and I loved which countered the slightly spicy green chile. I also really enjoyed the wild boar sausage which I haven't had before. Lastly the crust of this pizza was perfectly cooked. It was crispy on the outside without being overcooked at all. As for the Buffalo Frito pie, I enjoyed that as well. While I am not so sure I tasted all of the spices that the menu listed, it was still good. The crunchiness of the Fritos were a nice texture difference from the softness of the meat. The bottom line for me is that I would head back here again in the future. Everything about this place was great from the beer to the food and even the owner Dana.
Eric B.
What a cool, funky little place. It's parked along a side road near a bunch of trailers... driving up for the first time, you'll wonder if you're in the right place as you pull up and find a house with a dirt lot. But yes! You are there! For this house has been converted into a brewery, pizza parlor, and backyard live music venue. Come with friends and stay for a while (and bring a designated driver, too, because Ubers are gonna have a HARD time figuring this out.)
Jouquetta B.
Conveniently located next to our RV spot we were surprised at the selection of tap beers and they even had nomnoms! We had a pumpkin & goat cheese pizza that was really tasty but the 3 stars come because we needed a gluten free crust ( as advertised) & they were out. No bueno-- that only meant the gal in our group who needed GF drank more! No a bad trade off I suppose. The outdoor seating area looked really comfy, but we wanted to listen to the guitar guy so we stayed in.
Samuel L.
It is literally a house that serves beer, wine, and food. The pizza is really good. I'm not into beer or wine, but I'm told it's really good. The back patio with couches could be cleaned. The couches were dirty from dust storms. It was really packed and getting your food takes a long time.
Daina H.
Food is out of your mind experience. Dessert is superb. Beer is lovely and cider knocked me out for sure. It's amazing how the best places are hidden gems and provide a real feel for American craft brewing. You have to experience to appreciate. Very eclectic in the best way and the place makes you feel so at home even it your far from home.
Cider is great and I got the red pumpkin pizza, very good! Live band was amazing! This is a local hole in the wall that is welcoming and great place to unwind.
We stayed at the KOA attached to this brewery and spent one night there getting a bite. Off the wall place with great vibe and super food. I had the bison nachos with a flight of the beer. Nachos were of the hook good with fresh chips and great taste. My woman has hot dog bites and hard cider. Service was excellent. This place is a definite go to when passing through New Mexico. They even have cornhole out back but it was too cold to play. Keep up the good work. Oh yeh the beer flight was great, I only left the IPA because I am not a fan. The blond was the best for me.
If you had a no star option. I would choose that. Third time and service continues to be horrible. Thought you'd be in the business of selling beer. Wait staff literally ignores you. We spent money for uber there to be disappointed again. Too bad because food is pretty decent. I'm so sad. I always try to support nm business. Ok servers...serve and you will be tipped well. I guess you don't need $.
A real find. Great beers, knowledgeable brew master, excellent pizza, really friendly service. Stopped by on a Sunday afternoon for live blues music. Don't get turned off by the physical plant. The building looks like it's gonna fall over but just bite you're lip and go in. You'll be glad you did.
Went there with friends and family. Outside is quaint, rustic and may scare some folks off, but we are brave souls and forged ahead. We were all happy that we did. Interior was minimal and just as rustic, but our waitress was cute, warm and friendly, beer was great, we tried a variety of the menu. No one raved about their salad, pizza and sandwiches were "okay" !
I feel sure that Kaktus must have good food bc the place was pretty full. My roasted duck pizza was oddly sweet and not appealing. Had it not been so heavy on the hoisin I think it could have been great. My daughter was pretty repulsed by what was marketed as Frito Pie. Service was mediocre.
I did not try the food but the beer was good. What makes this place great is how unusual it is in comparison with other breweries. Kaktus has a unique setting that creates a friendly atmosphere. It definitely has an outdoorsy, country flavor that separates it from the urban breweries. I do group bike rides to Placitas otherwise I would have never passed this out of the way spot.
Love this brewery. It has the neighborhood bar feel and has some excellent beer and food on the menu. A must visit in Bernalillo,NM.
Great beers, great place, one of the cooliest bars in the world. The pizza is good. Mike the brewer is the kooliest. Sometimes they offer free yoga in the back patio. Live music and belly dancers on Sunday.
What a gem!! So glad we found it. Off the beaten path, but worth it. Super fun vibe, mostly organic menu. The pizza was delish, and the beer and cider was so good. The staff was amazing and accommodated our hungry soccer team with smiles. Thank you!
Restaurantji Recommends
I stopped by here this past Sunday with my wife for lunch. When looking for a brewery to visit in the Albuquerque area I noticed the funny Kokapelli logo for Kaktus Brewery and decided that was where I wanted to visit. Whenever we arrived at the brewery the first thing that I noticed was that they had an overflow parking lot and that their normal parking lot was blocked off by caution tape. After talking to Dana, the owner, for a bit he let us know that it was their 5th anniversary and so they were having a big celebration. He was actually a very nice guy and upon learning that we were visiting Albuquerque for the first time told us to ask him anything. Since we knew we were going to be in Old Town later that night I asked him what to do there and he took the time to write down recommendations. How awesome is that? Anyways it looked like Kaktus Brewing has both indoor and outdoor seating including an area in the back with space heaters and turf. We decided to sit at the bar which gave us a good view of their kitchen and the cook making all of the food. As I often do whenever I visit a new brewery, I ordered a flight here. I was given the option of 4 beers or all 8 and choose all 8. At a cost of only $8.50 it was a great deal. The 8 beers that I got were a pumpkin, innkeeper Ale (nitro), bourbon, stout, Porter, IPA, Amber and blonde. My wife and I enjoyed all of the beers but my favorite, hands down, was the bourbon. It had that oaky smell and taste while also having a lime forward flavor. Food wise my wife and I ordered the Buffalo frito pie and Pua'a Hawaiian pizza. The menu described the Buffalo Frito Pie as Crunchy corn chips smothered with 8oz of our made from scratch Bison Chili spiced with oregano, chipotle, paprika, coriander, and so much more. It described the Pua'a Hawaiian Pizza as made with marinara/hoisin sauce, wild boar sausage, pineapple and green chile. Our pizza came out first and both looked and tasted terrific. The marinara hoisin sauce had a slight sweetness to it that both my wife and I loved which countered the slightly spicy green chile. I also really enjoyed the wild boar sausage which I haven't had before. Lastly the crust of this pizza was perfectly cooked. It was crispy on the outside without being overcooked at all. As for the Buffalo Frito pie, I enjoyed that as well. While I am not so sure I tasted all of the spices that the menu listed, it was still good. The crunchiness of the Fritos were a nice texture difference from the softness of the meat. The bottom line for me is that I would head back here again in the future. Everything about this place was great from the beer to the food and even the owner Dana.
What a cool, funky little place. It's parked along a side road near a bunch of trailers... driving up for the first time, you'll wonder if you're in the right place as you pull up and find a house with a dirt lot. But yes! You are there! For this house has been converted into a brewery, pizza parlor, and backyard live music venue. Come with friends and stay for a while (and bring a designated driver, too, because Ubers are gonna have a HARD time figuring this out.)
Conveniently located next to our RV spot we were surprised at the selection of tap beers and they even had nomnoms! We had a pumpkin & goat cheese pizza that was really tasty but the 3 stars come because we needed a gluten free crust ( as advertised) & they were out. No bueno-- that only meant the gal in our group who needed GF drank more! No a bad trade off I suppose. The outdoor seating area looked really comfy, but we wanted to listen to the guitar guy so we stayed in.
It is literally a house that serves beer, wine, and food. The pizza is really good. I'm not into beer or wine, but I'm told it's really good. The back patio with couches could be cleaned. The couches were dirty from dust storms. It was really packed and getting your food takes a long time.
Food is out of your mind experience. Dessert is superb. Beer is lovely and cider knocked me out for sure. It's amazing how the best places are hidden gems and provide a real feel for American craft brewing. You have to experience to appreciate. Very eclectic in the best way and the place makes you feel so at home even it your far from home.